


Open Roads, Closed Mouths

by flightinflame



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Erik Logic Is The Best Logic, Flirting, Gay Mutant Road Trip, M/M, Mutant Rights, Politics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:27:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21905968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flightinflame/pseuds/flightinflame
Summary: Charles has been enjoying listening to Erik as they travel, and is confused when he seems to withdraw from their discussion and debate.
Relationships: Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier
Comments: 6
Kudos: 78
Collections: Secret Mutant Madness 2019





	Open Roads, Closed Mouths

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [funnylittleguy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/funnylittleguy/pseuds/funnylittleguy) in the [secret_mutant_madness_2019](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/secret_mutant_madness_2019) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> Charles thinks the road trip is going to be silent. Little does he know that Erik actually loves to talk... a lot. Charles loves listening to Erik talk, though, so it's not the big of a problem, until Erik slowly stops as their mission progresses. Charles has to find out why.
> 
> (erik is afraid he's annoying him!)

Logically, Charles understood that America was big – he’d seen it on maps often enough. It was simply hard for him to begin to comprehend quite how large it was. He was used to the East Coast, and to Oxford, and to small cities, and now he was travelling across the country with the metallokinetic, and he struggled to get his mind around quite how large this place was. It was just them and the open expanse of the road,and it was a kind of peace.

So far from civilisation, he couldn't hear the usual clamour of other minds. He'd allowed his shields to relax slightly - accepting his travelling companion's preference that he stay out of his head, but otherwise not worrying about peoples' thoughts, because there was no one else here to worry about. Just the open expanse of the road, and Erik sat in the seat beside him, swapping out based on whose turn it was to drive.

It could have been boring, only Erik ensured it wasn't. Charles had expected the other man to pass the drive in silence, but he hadn't. After about an hour he had challenged Charles about their work with Department X, and then asked him what he thought would happen.

"They start by trying to create registers, Charles. We are dangerous. It's only to be expected that they will fight their own extinction."

"You underestimate them, my friend." Charles had answered him. "I hope both sides can thrive. I hear their thoughts - and yes, some of them fear us. But we solve that fear with knowledge, not avoidance. Being near them, showing them what we can do, letting them see how we can help them - that is our future Erik. You see a path that leads only to war. But..." he shook his head, gazing out at the ground before them. "I can't believe that war is the only future ahead of us. There's too much good in us, and in them. We don't have to be opposite sides."

Erik had snorted, and shook his head.  
"Charles, you can't be naive. Not about this. These humans have no good in their hearts for us. They want to destroy us."

"Even if that were true, what would you have us do? Fortify our base and prepare for an onslaught? We're powerful Erik, not invincible." 

"We have to try." Erik answered, and that had been the start of a long discussion. 

Charles found talking with Erik compelling, exciting. Hopeful even. He wasn't used to having someone who was willing to debate with him - Raven found these discussions boring, and the scientists he worked with didn't know that mutantkind's existence was beyond theoretical. But with Erik, things were different. The two of them could debate, find the gaps in the other's reasoning. Charles wasn't changing his mind, not about the importance of seeking nuance. But he listened to what Erik said, and he had to agree with him that some people weren't going to be wiling to compromise, or to listen. There were some humans whose understanding of mutants would always be that they were strange, that they didn't belong, and were a threat. It was possible that mutants might need to meet that attitude with defensive violence and a show of force.

The journey carried on, and mutants joined their cause, but travelling gave Charles a chance to comprehend what their cause actually was - what was important, what mattered, what they had to focus on. It wasn't an easy thing to do, but it worked for them, and Charles loved having someone that was his equal, who was interested, who was interesting.

Which is why he was concerned, three days into their travels, when Erik stopped talking. He stared out, his hand on the wheel, and didn't say anything. Didn't make any more jokes, or biting comments. The silence stretched between them.

Charles tried to work out what it was that he'd done wrong. It must have been something, to explain the sudden shift in attitude from the other man. He longed to use his telepathy, to reach out and work out what was wrong, but he didn't want to invade his friend's mind. Erik deserved more than that, even if it was hard when he needed to know. 

For two hours they drove, with nothing being said, and Charles felt his heart twist. Eventually, it was too much.

"Erik, what is it?"

Erik flinched, looking over towards him with a frown.   
"I don't want to bother you."

"I don't... why do you think you're bothering me?" Charles asked, frowning. "We've been talking, this entire trip."

"I talk too much." Erik muttered. "And you don't agree, so ... it must be annoying for you."

"Erik, are you annoyed by what I say? I don't agree with your views either."

"Of course not." Erik looked genuinely thrown by the question, frowning at Charles as though trying to understand what was clearly a trap. "I like listening to you, and arguing with you. It's a chance to stretch my ideas, and understand, and..."

"I feel the same." Charles admitted, reaching out and momentarily placing his hand over Erik's own. "I feel the same." And suddenly he wasn't just talking about their joking and laughter. He was talking about more, about the truth of what was happening between them. And Erik nodded back, because he understood as well, and to him it meant just as much as to Charles.

"Well then... perhaps we could go...and carry on with that discussion about education," Erik suggested hesitantly. Charles nodded quickly, and Erik smiled. "So, Charles, you can't really think that our children should be included within a mainstream school, surrounded by humans."

"They have to live the rest of their life that way, Erik. It's important that they learn how to interact with humankind-"

Conversation continued to flow, bouncing around the car, and Charles couldn't stop himself from smiling.

***

Years later, after Cuba and Paris and a million other events which Charles could never have dreamed of, he found himself at the kitchen table, sat on his wheelchair with Erik beside him. Erik reached out, interlacing their fingers, and squeezing gently, reassuring him. Charles smiled up at him.  
"I'm glad you decided to stay," he told him. "It's been lonely, without your views."

"Charles, you disagree with me about my views."

"I do. But you sound wonderful, and I like hearing you. Not to mention your voice is wonderfully soothing when I want to sleep." Charles teased, and Erik laughed, leaning against him and pushing his shoulder softly. After a moment, Charles shoved him back.


End file.
